Salaam Namaste (part 3)
As he came out of the building , in the open area downstairs a group of kids who went to same school were practicing singing for a school program. 'Arjun bhaiyya' a little girl came running to him. 'hi piyu, how r u, when did u come back' he asked her picking her up, 6 yr old piyu was fond of arjun and would run to him whenever she saw him, she went on a holiday for over a month with her parents and was back as soon as she saw arjun she was excited. 'I am fine fine, how are u ?' 'I am very very fine, kya kiya tumne holidays mein' 'maine bahut masti ki' 'hmmm aur bahut daant bhi khaya?' 'khaya' he laughed at her honest reply 'yaha kya kar rahi hai?' 'pracice kar rahi thi' 'hmmm, let me listen to ur practice' 'okay' she said happily and joined the group and stood in the front row. The songs they were singing incidentally matched with his thoughts and thounsands of others like him.
'aa jaa ke sab milke rab se dua maange , jeevan mein sukoon chahe,
chahat mein vafaa maange , haalaat badalne mein ab der na ho malik,
jo de chuke phir yeh andher na ho maalik,
Ek tu hi bharosa , ek tu hi sahara,
iss tere jahaan mein nahi koi humaara,
Eshwar ya Allah , yeh pukaar sunlo tum
Eshwar ya Allah , hai daata '''''
He could not move from there after listening to the little voices joined together , with their pure hearts and eyes, where the reality of the harsh world had not touched. One after the other they practiced the songs, which reflected arjun's thoughts like a mirror.
They went on to sing 'mile sure mera tumhara , toh sur bane humara'' then switched to
'hind desh ke nivaasi , sabhi jan ek hai , rang roop vesh bhasha , chaahe anek hai,
bela gulaab juhi, champa chameli .. pyare pyare phool kintu maala mein ek hai'
How many beautiful songs had been penned by great poets of that time. How advanced were their thoughts, how much they advocated peace and togetherness. He could not stop wondering at the spirit the songs brought upon people, but why are they sung only during special occasions, are they to be sung on days of importance and then forgotten. Why religion becomes a barrier to the very heart that has created it in the first place.
The kids never got tired or stopped. Piyu came back to him 'kaisa tha' 'bahut badiya' 'mera voice suna' 'haan suna, bahut sweet tha' he kissed her rosy cheeks 'chocolates leke aaunga kal sabke liye, tum bantna theek hai?' 'yaayaay' she ran to tell it to all the other kids, while arjun with freshly renewed energy left from there.
He called arohi . She picked up immediately since she was waiting for his call. 'aa rahi ho na' 'haan' 'kya hua awaaz kyun aisi hai' 'kuch nai, main thodi der mein pahunchungi' 'busstop se pick karlunga'. Ever since she moved out of the apartments, they would meet at a common place and then go to their fav spot together. 'Secret lake' aka Durgam Cheruvu(lake) , was not so secret place but was a place where many couple went and they had found out a perfect spot for themselves.
As the bike approached the busstop where they commonly met and went ahead , he saw her sitting and waiting for him. As soon as she heard the sound of his bike she came to the road. One look at her and he knew she had been crying, without saying anything he just drove. It had been a while they had come there. Luckily their usual spot was unoccupied. It always felt good to be at that place.
'bahut der se intezaar kar rahi thi?' he asked her as they sat down. 'nai tabhi aayi thi' 'kya hua, kal raat maine kuch galat kaha kya, kyun ro rahi thi?' 'tumne kuch nai kaha' 'phir, ghar mein pata chal gaya' 'haan papa ne dekh liya tha kal raat tumko drop karte huye'. He could imagine the emotional stress she could have gone through. 'tumne kal aisa kyun kaha ki aakhri baar baat karni hai? iske baad nai milenge?' she said trying to keep her voice normal. 'aakhri baar apne zindagi ke faisle ke baare mein baat karne ke liye, tumse milne ka nahi, aakhri baar yeh batane ki hum jaise hai waise hi ek sath rahenge, kisiko badalne ki zaroorat nahi hai' 'par arjun' 'tum batao tum kyun badalna chahti thi' 'tumse shaadi karne ke liye' 'kisne kaha ki tum nahi badlogi toh humari shaadi nai hogi' 'kyunki mujhe pata hai, aise hi shaadi ke liye mere mummy papa raazi nai honge, tumhare ma baba raazi nai honge, aur shaadi karvayenge kaun, kuch rasam hote hai jo sirf musalmaan banke hi kar sakte ahi, mujhe tumhare sath puri tarah se shaadi karni hai' 'tum ab bhi yahi bol rahi ho, maine usi din bola tha ki aise nai ho sakta , main nai manta ki tumhe convert hone ki zaroorat hai' 'to phir kaise hum shaadi kar sakte hai, nai kar sakte hai na, toh hum sath nai reh sakte , isiliye tumne aaj bulaya mujhe samjhane ke liye , ki hume apni families ke sath dena chahiye' 'maine aise kab kaha, maine bhi apne ammi abba se baat ki hai , aur unhe manjoor bhi hai' 'unhone kaha tumse' 'ammi ne kaha ki woh humara sath dengi' 'par mere mummy papa nai manenge , shaadi hum kis tarah kar sakte hai' 'main unko bhi manaunga' 'arjun main jo bol rahi hoon woh ...' 'please arohi, tum jasbaat mein aa kar ab yeh faisla logi, baad mein? kya tum apna vajood bhul jaogi, kabhi yaad nai karogi ? achanak se apne bhagvan ko badal dogi , apna jo bhi aadate hai bhagvaan ke liye woh sab chod dogi ? agar tumhare mummy papa nai maane toh unko chod dogi? itne din jo unhone tumhe paala uska kya hoga? rishta itne aasani se nai tod sakte' 'maine kab kaha ki main apne bhagvaan ko bhul jaaungi ya parivaar walo se rishta tod dungi' 'dekha , toh phir badalne ki zaroorat kya hai, shaadi ke liye? main bol raha hoon na humari shaadi hogi toh aise hi hogi' 'main sirf shaadi ke liye nai badalna chahti' ' ' 'mujhe tum jaise rehte ho vaise rehna hai, tum jo karte ho vaise karna hai, tum jaise zindagi jeete ho vaise jeena hai' 'aur iskeliye apne rab ko chod sakti ho?' 'mujhe tujhme rab dikhta hai, tumse mohabbat kiya toh rab se bhi kiya na, chahe woh Ishwar ho ya Allah' 'mujhe tum jaise ho vaise pasand ho, tum jaise achanak mandir ke saamne ruk ke hath jodti ho woh pasand hai, tum jaise subah apne ghar ke darwaaze ko sajati thi woh pasand hai, tum jaise apne tyohaar ke din tayyar hoti ho, kuch bhi banaya toh mujhe laake khilati ho woh pasand hai, tum jaise bhajan gaati ho poore man ke sath woh pasand hai , aur mujhe woh sab shaadi ke baad bhi dekhna hai, mujhe tujhme aur tujhe mujhme apne rab dikhte hai, toh iske liye mat badalne ki zaroorat nai hai' 'baad mein bahut complications hongi, ek sath rehte huye, mere friend ne kiya hai aise shaadi , ab woh ghar mein kya follow karenge? uski roz jhagda hoti hai, mujhe aise nai karna' 'unke ghar mein hoti hai iska matlab yeh nahi ki humara bhi vaisa hoga, agar ek dusre ki khayalaat ko respect karte hai toh jhagda kaise hoga' '' 'arohi main aakhri baar bol raha hoon, yahi mera faisla hai, tum bachpan se jo maante aayi ho wahi maanogi, kya tum apne mat ke philosophy mein believe nai karti? ' 'karti hoon, poore man se karti hoon' 'phir baat khatam aage bhi unhi vichaaron ko manogi, aur main apne mat ke vichaaron mein yakeen karta hoon aur aage bhi karta rahunga, yeh baat humare pyaar ki taakat honi chahiye majboori nai' 'mujhe iss faisle se dar lagta hai arjun' 'aur mujhe tumhari faisle se, mera yakeen maano arohi , hum khush rahenge, main vaada karta hoon tumse ki mere rehte huye tumhe koi takleef nai aayegi' arohi let her tears flow down 'tum aise ro ogi toh mujhe accha nai lagta please' 'kya tum sure ho ki aise shaadi workout hogi' 'yeh koi exercise nai hai' he tried to lighten her up, she did not smile 'haan, mera zameer bolta hai ki yahi sahi hai' 'agar tum aise chahte ho toh phir theek hai' 'kitna jidd kiya tumne, baapre maine logon ko khud ke liye jidd karte huye dekha hai, lekin tum toh mere liye itni jidd pakadli thi' 'aur tum kitne jiddi ho , mere jidd ko bhi tod diya' she frowned at him sniffing.
He took her hand, 'iss hath ko hamesha ke liye pakad liya hai, toh tumhari bhalayi kisme hai woh sochna mera farz hai na' 'toh aise hi satati rahungi hamesha aur tumhe khoob kaam doongi manane ka , kyunki tumhe woh pasand hai na' he laughed 'aise khwab mein mat rehna, main utna accha nai hoon , jo main bolta hoon wahi karna padega, jyada sataogi toh teen baar talaak bol doonga, abhi bata de ra hu main' 'accha, abhi shaadi huyi nahi tum abhi se aise baat kar rahe ho, main bhi dekhti hoon kaise bologe, muh ko aise band kardungi ki ek labz bhi bahar nai niklega' 'kaise band karogi hath se ya phir...' his sudden change from teasing to romantic tone sent a chill down her spine, even his eyes seemed to waver on her face wanting to hold her close. the prospect of getting married was making them dreamy. All this while they had not come closer than this, now the fact that once they are married there wont be any distance between them was making their heart and body warm.
She changed the subject 'paapa milna chahte hai tumse' 'theek hai, main bhi milna chahta tha, abhi rahenge ghar mein' 'aaj hi?' 'haan nek kaam mein der nai karte' 'aaj shaam ko woh mandir jaate hai hindu philosophy classes dene' 'kitne baje vapas aayenge?' 'shaam 7 ' 7.30 hai, phir 8 baje tak ghar aayenge' 'tab mil sakta hoon?, call karke puch sakti ho?', she called home since her father would still be at home right now.
'papa aap ghar kitne baje vapas aayenge mandir se' 'main aaj nai jaa raha hoon' 'kyun, tabiyat theek hai na' 'tabiyat theek hai , man theek nai, aaj ghar par hoon' she was hurt by the sadness in his tone, 'papa woh main puchna chahti thi ki aaj agar apse milne..' 'aaj mil sakta hoon main usse' 'sach papa , toh hum abhi..' 'abhi tum dono sath mein ho? ghar par friend ke yaha bolna ki sahi matlab yeh hoti thi beta aaj tak? theek hai jo bhi baat hogi aage ki , hum karenge, tum lekar aao'. The grim tone of her dad's voice frightned her. 'kya hua, mil sakte hai?' arjun asked her, 'haan, par mujhe unke awaaz se laga ki shayad nahi manenge, arjun mujhe bahut dar lag raha hai, agar unhone mana kar diya toh' 'kal kya kaha tha unhone' 'ki main apni dil ki sunu' 'kya tumne yeh bhi bola tha ki tum mazhab badalna chahti thi?' 'haan' 'kya, kyun bola, isiliye shayad gusse main hai' 'pata nai, maa ne toh maar bhi diya mujhe' 'aur tum ab bata rahi ho, kaha maara, dard ho rahi hai , kyun aisa karti ho tum' 'gaal par chaanta mila tha, ab theek hoon, pata nahi mujhe us waqt sab kuch bolne ka man hua maine bol diya' 'woh tumse bahut pyaar karte hai tumhe koi dukh nai pahunchana chahte' 'theek hai , meri galti thi, ok, ab chalo papa se milna hai , aur mujhe pata nai kal se bhi jyada dar ab lag rahi hai' 'kuch nai hoga, jo bhi woh bolenge hum unko manane ki koshish karenge' 'aur phir bhi kuch ho gaya toh, mujhe tumse alag nahi rehni hai' 'mujhe bhi nahi rehni hai, chalo' 'ruko' he said and for the first time he did not stop himself from bending towards her and kissing her cheek, where he thought her mother had slapped her. She closed her eyes 'ab dard kam hua' he asked softly, 'haan maa ne iss gaal pe maara tha, but it is ok' she said with her evergreen cute smile, he bent down to kiss her other cheek 'ab?' the stinging pain of the slap had lasted only for few minutes but still she said 'haan kam hua' looking into his eyes. both smiled and holding hands left from there to meet her parents.
Her dad was waiting for them. Ever since Arohi had said that she was ready to be a Muslim, he had been shattered inside. His own daughter going against his philosophy, what is the point in trying to teach others? he could not go to the temple to his assigned classes today, he requested a friend to do it. Now his students in the college have something to talk behind his back, till now he was one such teacher who had commanded respect from all and no one had any reason to talk ill of him. If she did not believe in hinduism and wanted to change because she found the other religion to be more close to her life's philosophy then he could understand, it is individual choice to decide after certain age when they have seen the world and have gotten enough confidence that this is what they perceive from life and this is what they want to follow, or that they dont want to believe in god at all, it is individual thinking and if his own kid did that he was ready to understand. But changing religion for love was something he did not believe in. It was not a decision taken by the individual but it is a decision taken because of the influence, be it forced or by will , of the other person. This he had not expected arohi to do.
The sound of the bike outside brought him out of the thoughts, He watched from the window arjun and arohi walking towards the house together. The way they were leaning towards each other without touching, was endearing to see at the same time the harsh reality was painful. He opened the door for them and seeing arjun he remembered that he had seen him in the apartment building many times. He had seen him talking to kids, or helping others . He looked handsome, intelligent and genuine. 'Hello sir' arjun wished him. arohi was tense 'namaste, baitho beta' 'uncle, mera naam arjun hai arjun..' 'jaanta hoon Arjun Khan' 'ji' 'aur Arohi kyun aapko lekar aayi hai woh bhi jaanta hoon' 'please aap mujhe tum boliye, aur main bhi aapse isi baat ke liye milna chahta tha' 'uncle main ghoom phir ke baat nai kar sakta, main yaha aapse Arohi ka hath mangne aaya hoon' Arohi became more tense , both arjun and her dad could feel it. Listening to a new voice her mom came out and was shocked to see Arjun sitting with arohi talking to her husband. She was angry and hurt yet at the same time noticed why arohi could have selected arjun , his body language said it all.
Both of them were waiting for her dad's answer. 'jaanta hoon, acchi baat hai ki aap ne puch liya, arohi toh apni decision suna diya hai kal' 'papa main woh' 'main samajh sakta hoon , tum dono naujawaan ho, pade likhe ho, apne zindagi ka faisla lene ka haq hai tumhe, par kya yeh zaroori hai ki tumhe shaadi ke liye apna mat badalna pade, sorry arjun, mujhe tumhare saamne hi puchna pad raha hai, kyunki mujhe iss ka jawaab janna ek baap ke naate bahut zaroori hai' 'uncle , mera bhi wahi raai hai ki koi zaroorat nahi, arohi apna mazhab nahi badlegi' it was her dad's turn to be surprised. 'kal isne toh kaha' 'haan uncle yeh chahti thi, par woh apne beliefs chodne ke liye nahi mere liye karna chahti thi , woh mujhe manjoor nahi hai' . It was like arjun had put words to his thoughts in simple two lines, he was surprised they share common views on this, he was impressed and also aprehensive. 'toh ab' 'ji ab aap agar permission denge toh hum shaadi karna chahte hai' 'aapke gharwale maan gaye hai' 'ji ammi abba ko pata hai, main aapse milwaunga'. Arohi's dad understood what arjun was trying to say and he knew it was not as easy as it sounds, they need to be more practical and now blinded by love whatever elders say they were not going to agree. 'usse pehle main ek baat bolna chahta hoon' 'ji' he saw arohi's hand shaking and held it tight. She was nervous and let him hold it. 'iss shaadi ke liye meri ek shart hai' her dad said finally.
Arjun was silent , he didnot expect arohi's dad to agree immediately and had not expected him to put a condition as well. But he was ready to hear it. He knew it wasnt going to be easy. But life with Arohi was going to be worth it. 'Shart kya hai?'
'tum dono abhi ek dusre ke sath ho, milte ho, toh tum jo bhi decide karte ho woh sahi lagta hai. lekin meri sarth yeh hai ki tumhe ek saal ke liye alag hona padega' Arohi was shocked. 'papa aapne kaha tha aap hume alag nahi karenge' 'main yeh nai bol raha hoon ki hamesha ke liye alag ho jao, ek saal ke liye' 'aur ek saal ke baad?' arjun questioned him. 'tabbhi agar tum donon ko yahi lagta hai , tab main khushi se yeh shaadi karvadunga' Arjun looked at arohi who nodded a no for the condition. He closed and opened his eyes saying it will be okay. 'hume manjoor hai' 'iss shart ke kuch rules hai' Arohi's brain had become numb. 'ek saal mein tum dono ek dusre se mil nai sakte, dekh nahi sakte, baat nai kar sakte, koi communication nahi rakh sakte, kisi friend ke through bhi, aur agar aisa kiya matlab tumhe yeh shart manjoor nahi tab tum mere faisla ke liye wait mat karna' 'main nai maanti' arohi finally said 'it is okay arohi, hume shart manjoor hai' arjun said with a firm voice 'aur meri bhi ek shart hai, iss ek saal mein aap apne beti ki shaadi kahi aur nai karenge, kisi ladke ko nai dhundenge aur jab main ek saal baad vapas aaunga tab usi waqt mai arohi se shaadi karunga, aap tab hume nai rokenge'.
Part 4 ************
Special thanks to Imtiaz for answering my questions patiently,
thanks varshini, priya, punam for the input :) .
Edited by kavyasam - 13 years ago
Mannat Har Khushi Paane Ki
Hindi TV Shows
